MATCH: Solihull Moors (H) 28/08/23

[Lee Sinnott]

1 hour ago, the_mighty_bosh said:

Unsworth is surely on borrowed time, it's been an awful first month of the season overall.

 

The only saving grace for him is that there should be some very winnable games in September with the squad we have.

 

Pete Wild was in the sponsors box today apparently.  Lock him in there until he signs a contract with us and Unsworth can go immediately after for me.

He was, but he was there with a family member. 

 

FWIW, he has to go. There's no other possible answer to the current situation. He has been shocking. Part company now. Give it Thompson on an interim basis and appoint a new one when the recruitment process is done. I'm eternally grateful to the Royle family, especially Darren, for the situation the club is currently in. I went to a residents meeting on Thursday with the club and Darren and Luke blew my mind with their efficiency and plans for the club. But their choice of manager has been very poor...

[Guy Branston Pickle]

If Unsworth goes Fondop should follow him out the door. 3 times now he's totally let his teammates down with his own stupidity. He can't be trusted.

[True Tic]

25 minutes ago, Guy Branston Pickle said:

14 wins in 44 as far as I can make out. What's that, about a 30% win rate? 

Felt sorry for him today because we really could have won that. Reid has to score today, thought Sutton played very well. We had the chances and good ones. However, I just think the overall set up and tactics are stunting the players and in the year or so he’s been at the helm I’ve seen pretty much nothing. Of course there’s the time element this season with his new players but I just can’t see us shaping up at all. 

[Boyyou]

38 minutes ago, St92 said:

Oh yeah, he should have scored regardless don't get me wrong, but just saying his chances of scoring rise considerably if he's played a few more minutes 

Not buying this match fitness bollocks. Freeman and Dickenson both did well on debut after no prior senior games.

Quite a few on here, and elsewhere, were calling for Fondop, Reid and Willoughby to get a chance and, because of the quick turnaround from Saturday, that is what DU did - no doubt hoping to make impact subs later.

However foolish Fondop (for the third time in  year) blew that out of the water. Just because Athleticos have a song for him doesn't make him any less of an idiot. Likewise Reid, who again looked like a prancing pony. Willoughby has no pace but I'll reserve judgement until he is played in the central role he is best suited to.

Thought the ten men stuck at it well enough and, although the ref did us no favours, he can't be blamed for Fondop being a liability who cost us any chance. 11 v 11 and with our second half subs I think we win.

[Gentleman]

Other managers would be given leeway for a huge Reid miss and Fondop brainworms but I don't think Unsworth warrants the good will. Another disappointing afternoon amongst many.

[kowenicki]

“Should have been 2 or 3 nil up before the sending off… FACT”

 

Cloud cuckoo land. 

[nzlatic]

5 minutes ago, kowenicki said:

“Should have been 2 or 3 nil up before the sending off… FACT”

 

Cloud cuckoo land. 

Reid missed an open goal and Shelton’s miss was almost as bad. Both of those happened before the sending off. He’s not wrong in saying that at all. 

[GlossopLatic]

Not read any of the comments but just going to put my own thoughts down on what I saw today.

 

Despite Fondop having 2 brain farts I thought we actually did ok in the first 30 minutes or so and created a couple of chances that both Reid and Shelton should have done better with, then Fondop needlessly makes a stupid challenge on a player who is 60 yards out with everyone behind the ball while already on a yellow card the first yellow which was stupid enough to get in the first place anyway and it changes the game. The referee though I thought had a stinker and was incredibly card happy.

 

However, teams who go on to win promotion are faced with all kinds of problems and they find ways to win. They will win when they go down to 10 men, they will win when they are a goal behind away from home in the 89th minute like Wrexham did last season. They will be on the end of bad refereeing decisions it will happen you have to get on with it.

 

I said last week I will back the board over whatever decision they make whether to back or sack the manager. I'm sick to death of sacking manager after manager and seeing no change, but I do understand that sometimes it is the right decision and it should only be done as a last resort. Either way I back this current regime to do the right thing if they need too.

 

If in a parallel universe where I was the one making the decisions I wouldn't sack the manager based on today. But I would be looking at a contingency right now we may have to make a decision fairly quickly if things carry on as they have done. It's not just a case of sacking the manager and all the problems vanish into thin air. We have to appoint the right replacement if that's the case. The new person also won't fancy several of the current squad and will want a few of their own players, the total costs in pay offs and new recruits will run into the hundreds of thousands. When you calculate the true cost of changing the manager and you are the one picking up the tab, then you realise it's not as simple a decision as most of us think. So if/when we pull the trigger and choose a replacement it has to be the right decision.

 

That said I wouldn't be giving it much longer as the season will soon be getting away from us. Ive seen 3 of the 6 games( Halifax H Chesterfield A and Solihull H) We've played so far this season and we haven't looked like a promotion chasing team in any of them. From the 3 I haven't seen (Southend A, Aldershot H, and Borehamwood A), it looks like given the results and subsequent reaction We've looked like a promotion chasing team in probably 1 of them. We've so far won 1 from 6 if that gets to 1 win in 10 then I think that's probably the time to get rid.

 

From the managers point of view I would go back to basics pick my best 11 possible in the formation they feel most comfortable in and stick with it for the next few games until we start seeing an improvement.

 

From the players point of view they need to take some responsibility too. They shouldn't be using the manager as an excuse for the form, they need to look at themselves and see how they can play better. If they are honest with themselves they could probably all do something better.

 

I won't be joining calls to sack the manager or singing that his football is sh!t I won't be booing or abusing the players. They will know full well that what we've seen so far this season hasn't been good enough, without us yelling at them from the stands. But nethertheless they need to shut the noise out right now and get some results because if they do the noise currently being made will go away and things will get better. Because Man for man this squad should be a match for anybody in this league on its day.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by GlossopLatic

[oafcmetty]

I'm all for the strategy of giving managers time and ending the 'chop and change' culture - it's a sensible strategy. However in this case the board have chosen poorly, and their man quite clearly isn't up to the job. It's a real shame - there were fans getting physical and verbal with each other in the stand today - everything else the board are doing seems to be taking us in the right direction, it's just the product on the pitch which isn't up to scratch, and the frustration that brings will lead to a divided fanbase - undermining all the rest of the good work.

 

If there were any green shoots, then it might be worth perservering, but I can't think of any. We don't appear to have any coherent identity or plan. On paper this squad should be performing much better, but Unsworth doesn't appear to have the ability to get more out of them. It's all just a bit sad really.

[Londonboy]

36 minutes ago, peanuts2 said:

York manager gone no hanging about giving him "time" 

Got to be done if you can see it not working and there is no real chance of any improvement. Eastleigh manager sacked Saturday after a poor start to the season.

[Flemboy]

30 minutes ago, redlion said:

Unsworth should be clearing his desk out right now.

 

He should be but he won't.At least Shez did the decent thing.

I noticed in the family stand loads on their mobiles  which sums up the entertainment  value they were getting.

[latics22]

He bemoaned the squad he inherited , if Norman had have been fit 5 of those players started today. He said last season the squad was unfit due to a terrible pre season he’s had a full pre season and still  shit! He’s signed how many players and we’re still shit. Constant excuses never takes any responsibility. He needs to go.

[True Tic]

Just looked at the table . But if you asked DU he would probably “ only five points off a play off spot “ 

[mcfluff1985]

40 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

Meanwhile at Chesterfield.

'James Berry setting up chance after chance. This lad looks like he could go all the way.

What a player we have here absolutely ghosts past defenders brilliant signing'

 

Not the type of player for us apparently, but Freeman and Dickenson are.

 

 

 

 

Who said he wasn't the type of player for us. You recommended him. We didn't sign him. Nobody has said he wasn't right for us. Dickenson is a good player, massive injury last season so building fitness, as is Freeman. Give it a rest with the stuff about players you've recommended etc. We all remember Cameron Burgess. He was gash for us

 

 

22 minutes ago, kowenicki said:

“Should have been 2 or 3 nil up before the sending off… FACT”

 

Cloud cuckoo land. 

 

It is a fact. Shelton, Reid x 2 chances, one an open goal, other a poor strike when clean through although on an angle. Willoughby blasted 2 over

[Mr Banks, Zone 3]

For me, Fondop cost us that today, he's a total liability and unprofessional. If he doesn't get sent off and Reid/Shelton take their chances I reckon we win comfortably against a decent side. It's all if's and but's though and Unsworth reverting to his default defensive nonsense at the start of the 2nd half cost us just as much.

 

All in all it's adding up to a nightmare start to the season and the league table is an absolute embarrassment. 

[longtimeblue]

3 hours ago, Careca9 said:

A poor result, tough one on Unsy as the red has killed it but again we don’t look solid and I do t think it’s asking too much for us to shut them out even a player light at home. Overall I could cope with us being where we are with the results if we looked like a good side and had been unlucky, but we haven’t. We don’t score that many, we can’t keep clean sheets, the footy is rank and there is very little improvement. Hopefully the board act this week 

 

Where I'm at

 

[Worcester Owl]

1 hour ago, GlossopLatic said:

Not read any of the comments but just going to put my own thoughts down on what I saw today.

 

Despite Fondop having 2 brain farts I thought we actually did ok in the first 30 minutes or so and created a couple of chances that both Reid and Shelton should have done better with, then Fondop needlessly makes a stupid challenge on a player who is 60 yards out with everyone behind the ball while already on a yellow card the first yellow which was stupid enough to get in the first place anyway and it changes the game. The referee though I thought had a stinker and was incredibly card happy.

 

However, teams who go on to win promotion are faced with all kind of problems and they find ways to win. They will win when they go down to 10 men, they will win when they are a goal behind away from home in the 89th minute like Wrexham did last season. They will be on the end of bad refereeing decisions it will happen you have to get on with it.

 

I said last week I will back the board over whatever decision they make whether to back or sack the manager. I'm sick to death of sacking manager after manager and seeing no change but I do understand that sometimes it is the right decision and it should only be done as a last resort. Either way I back this current regime to do the right thing if they need too.

 

If in a parallel universe where I was the one making the decisions I wouldn't sack the manager based on today. But I would be looking at a contingency right now we may have to make a decision fairly quickly if things carry on as they have done. It's not just a case of sacking the manager and all the problem vanish into thin air. We have to appoint the right one if that's the case. They also won't fancy several of the current squad and will want a few of their own players the total costs in pay offs and new recruits will run intonthe hundreds of thousands. When you calculate the true cost of changing the manager and you are the one picking up the tab, then you realise it's not as simple a decision as most of us think so if/when we pull the trigger and choose a replacement it has to be the right decision.

 

That said I wouldn't be giving it much longer as the season will soon be getting away from us. Ive seen 3 of the 6 games We've played so far this season and we haven't looked likeva promotion chasing team in amy of them. From the 3 I haven't seen Southend A, Aldershot H, and Borehamwood A, it looks like given the results and subsequent reaction We've looked like a promotion chasing team in probably 1 of them. We've so far won 1 from 6 if that gets to 1 win in 10 then I think that's probably the time to get rid.

 

From the managers point of view I would go back to basics pick my best 11 possible in the formation they feel most comfortable in and stick with it for the next few games until we start seeing an improvement.

 

From the players point of view they need to take some responsibility too. They shouldn't be using the manager as an excuse for the form they need to look at themselves and see how they can play better if they are honest with themselves they could probably all do something better.

 

I won't be joining calls to sack the manager or singing that his football is sh!t I won't be booing or abusing the players. They will know full well that what we've seen so far this season hasn't been good enough, without us yelling at them from the stands. But nethertheless they need to shut the noise out right now and get some results because if they do the noise currently being made will go away and things will get better. Because Man for man this squad should be a match for anybody in this league on its day.

 

 

Really good and thoughtful post.

 

I don't think anybody deep down (bar the idiots who sing your football is shit - how vile and counterproductive is that) wants Unsworth to fail, or wishes him ill. But there comes a point where you seriously have to question whether it's working and I am starting to think we are at that point. Is it really fair on him, his family, the squad, the board and the fans to keep hoping he'll turn it around? You have to question whether he's good enough - it's a brutal business, football management, and if he isn't, then the decent thing to do is to part ways. Yes, he was unlucky today, but sadly for some people that's the way the dice can roll.

 

I admire the board/owners for being decent people, and what they have done and are doing for this club is wonderful. My fear is that precisely because they are fair and good people, they will keep hoping that DU will turn this round. I am not at all sure that he will. The squad looks completely devoid of confidence (might explain the sitters missed today) and that is a very bad situation to e in.

[True Tic]

5 minutes ago, Worcester Owl said:

Really good and thoughtful post.

 

I don't think anybody deep down (bar the idiots who sing your football is shit - how vile and counterproductive is that) wants Unsworth to fail, or wishes him ill. But there comes a point where you seriously have to question whether it's working and I am starting to think we are at that point. Is it really fair on him, his family, the squad, the board and the fans to keep hoping he'll turn it around? You have to question whether he's good enough - it's a brutal business, football management, and if he isn't, then the decent thing to do is to part ways. Yes, he was unlucky today, but sadly for some people that's the way the dice can roll.

 

I admire the board/owners for being decent people, and what they have done and are doing for this club is wonderful. My fear is that precisely because they are fair and good people, they will keep hoping that DU will turn this round. I am not at all sure that he will. The squad looks completely devoid of confidence (might explain the sitters missed today) and that is a very bad situation to e in.

Yes, I couldn’t believe how the heads dropped when they scored and the crowd got a bit tetchy, they should be able to handle that no problem. Resilience is a huge thing in this game and they don’t seem to possess much of it. 

[IanMarshall's Mullet]

2 minutes ago, Worcester Owl said:

Really good and thoughtful post.

 

I don't think anybody deep down (bar the idiots who sing your football is shit - how vile and counterproductive is that) wants Unsworth to fail, or wishes him ill. But there comes a point where you seriously have to question whether it's working and I am starting to think we are at that point. Is it really fair on him, his family, the squad, the board and the fans to keep hoping he'll turn it around? You have to question whether he's good enough - it's a brutal business, football management, and if he isn't, then the decent thing to do is to part ways. Yes, he was unlucky today, but sadly for some people that's the way the dice can roll.

 

I admire the board/owners for being decent people, and what they have done and are doing for this club is wonderful. My fear is that precisely because they are fair and good people, they will keep hoping that DU will turn this round. I am not at all sure that he will. The squad looks completely devoid of confidence (might explain the sitters missed today) and that is a very bad situation to e in.

Agree with this post. I gave him ten matches to show us that the team is playing well, looking good and in the playoff positions pushing for the top two.  Clearly that isn't happening so I suspect if we don't get 6 points from the next two games it would be pointless waiting to hit the ten games stage before saying he has to go.

 

Frank recently said on Radio Manchester that the target this season is top five (I'm paraphrasing) so he and the board can't leave it too long before making the change. 

[Oafc11]

3 hours ago, Ronald said:

Was clipped on the ankle by one of theirs, he didn’t fall down screaming and rolling around like they did and no way was that ref giving us anything today. Solihull played the ref today and it working. Fondrop was stupid with the first yellow and the second has cost us although the guys gave it go.  If he hadn’t been sent off we would have won today, they didn’t offer much apart from the theatrics.

Unsworth’ d going to get hammered on here but unfairly I think.   (Tin hat now on)

Have a good week all onto Gateshead.

[mcfluff1985]

17 minutes ago, True Tic said:

Yes, I couldn’t believe how the heads dropped when they scored and the crowd got a bit tetchy, they should be able to handle that no problem. Resilience is a huge thing in this game and they don’t seem to possess much of it. 

We were down to ten men. Tired from playing other day. Don't think their heads dropped as they carried on grafting

[bluentangerine]

1 hour ago, Londonboy said:

Got to be done if you can see it not working and there is no real chance of any improvement. Eastleigh manager sacked Saturday after a poor start to the season.

Lee Johnson Dean Holden both fired over the weekend.

[kowenicki]

1 hour ago, nzlatic said:

Reid missed an open goal and Shelton’s miss was almost as bad. Both of those happened before the sending off. He’s not wrong in saying that at all. 

They didn’t have chances??? 

[kowenicki]

1 hour ago, mcfluff1985 said:

 

 

 

 

It is a fact. Shelton, Reid x 2 chances, one an open goal, other a poor strike when clean through although on an angle. Willoughby blasted 2 over

they didn’t have chances??

Edited August 28, 2023 by kowenicki

[doctor evil]

1 hour ago, oafcmetty said:

I'm all for the strategy of giving managers time and ending the 'chop and change' culture - it's a sensible strategy. However in this case the board have chosen poorly, and their man quite clearly isn't up to the job. It's a real shame - there were fans getting physical and verbal with each other in the stand today - everything else the board are doing seems to be taking us in the right direction, it's just the product on the pitch which isn't up to scratch, and the frustration that brings will lead to a divided fanbase - undermining all the rest of the good work.

 

If there were any green shoots, then it might be worth perservering, but I can't think of any. We don't appear to have any coherent identity or plan. On paper this squad should be performing much better, but Unsworth doesn't appear to have the ability to get more out of them. It's all just a bit sad really.

That's the most concerning aspect for me. People criticise DU for his "excuses" but in fairness they're (mostly) legitimate. Had we been coming into this season off the back of a really strong one, there wouldn't be this kind of reaction. But although results improved towards the end of last season, the quality of product didn't follow that trend. There wasn't a particular identity or style begining to appear. In fact DU mentioned time and again that he couldn't play the way he wanted until he had a squad capable. That bought him time, but also put pressure on the beginning of this season. And I think it made his job a lot harder, he's effectively had to try to implement a philosophy or identity from scratch over the summer. There's a reason why we always hear that you have to give a new manager time. It takes time to implement major change. And there's always bumps in the road at the start.

 

But he's already had that time, so fans rightly will demand results and crucially an improvement in the quality of football. And I just don't see a plan, a philosophy, identity whatever you want to call it. We try to play out from the back one game then go hoof ball all game the next. The best teams have recognisable patterns of play, you see them create and score chances the same way all the time. We don't have that, it's aimless hopeful balls waiting for mistakes from the opposition. When we do create chances it's more often than not just because of the quality we have on the pitch. This is a squad more than capable of achieving a top 3 finish but at the moment it looks like a team that will be fighting at the wrong end of the table.

 

It's entirely possible that we could turn things around over the next few games, the injured players come back and we begin to see the style of play unsworth wants. But he's got very little room for error now. 1 or 2 wins won't stop those calls for him to go. It needs to be a sustained period of improved performances and results.